The Armistice

The Armistice

1. The end of the First World War

   • The First World War was fought from 1914 to 1918 and was the bloodiest War the world had ever seen. At the end of the war the Germans surrendered and signed an ARMISTICE.
   • Pay REPARATIONS
   • Give Alsace-Lorraine back to France
   • Move the German army out of the Rhineland

2. Aims of the peacekeepers

   • In January 1919, 32 countries met in the Palace of Versailles to decide the terms of the final peace treaties. This became known as the PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE
   • The discussions were led by THE ‘BIG THREE L’ : DAVID LLOYED GEORGE, prime Minister of Britian, GEORGES CLEMENCEAU, Prime Minister of France, and WOODROW WILSON, president of the USA. There was a great deal of pressure on these leaders; they had to make peace that would keep everyone happy, but Europe was falling apart so they needed to act quickly
   • The Big Three
     • The Big Three met at Paris Peace Conference to agree the TREATY of Versailles. Each man wanted to achieve different things, and each nation put pressure on their leader to get what they wanted. The Big Three has to act quickly as Europe was unstable after the war
     • Georges Clemenceau, France
       • Aimed o weaken Germany so it could never attack again
       • Wanted revenge for all the lives lost
       • Wanted Germany to pay for reparations to rebuild areas of France badly affected by war
       • Wanted to push German border back to the Rhine so that the French people would feel safer
     • David Lloyd George, Britain
       • Wanted a cautious approch: British public wanted Germany to be punished, but Lloyd George feared this would lead to Germany wanting revenge
       • Aimed to gain German colonies to add to the British EMPIRE
       • Wanted naval supremacy by reducing German’s navy
       • Wanted to keep Germany strong so it could trade with Britain and act as a buffer to Communism
     • Woodrow Wilson, USA
       • Wanted a fair peace, so Germany would not seek revenge
       • Proposed the FOURTEEN POINTS, including foundation of a LEAGUE OF NATIONS, SELF-DETERMINATION and freedom of the seas; but the American public didn’t want USA to get involved in European affairs again